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mainstay Definition

main·stay (-stā′)

noun

  1. a stay, or line, extending forward from the mainmast, supporting it and holding it in position
  2. a chief support

mainstay Synonyms

mainstay

n.

pillar, backbone, strength; see aid 1.

mainstay Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • economy: Now, tourism is the mainstay of the economy.
  • treatment: The mainstay of treatment for early stage cancer is surgical removal of the tumor.
  • fleet: The Leyland National, once the mainstay of the fleet is no longer.
  • diet: The seeds inside form the mainstay of the diet for this rare bird.
  • therapy: Local corticosteroids and analgesics are the mainstay of therapy although some success has been reported with the use of thalidomide ( see below ).
  • scene: Fulton had been a mainstay of the Scottish comedy scene for more than 30 years when Scotch and Wry first materialized in 1978.

Possessives

  • town: Hawaiian lore claims members gave me town's economic mainstay the caffeine rush.
  • company: During the 30s the company's mainstay was the high performance Speed 20, considered to be a serious rival to Rolls Royce.

Converse of object

  • remain: Silver, however, remained the mainstay of the coinage.
  • become: The olive became a mainstay in the life of the ancients.
  • form: Morris Minor The Minor van formed the mainstay of the GPO's small van fleet for almost two decades.
  • provide: For many solicitors divorce cases provide the mainstay of their family work.
  • prove: Unsurprisingly given their proximity to livestock, cheese proved a mainstay in securing the girls's romantic futures.
  • consider: The mining industry could be considered a mainstay of the Mongolian economy.

Adjective modifier

  • economic: Mining was the economic mainstay of Cornwall in the 19th century.
  • traditional: The District, although predominantly rural has a diverse economy, with agriculture and quarrying being the traditional mainstay.
  • other: By the early 1990s, quinine, the other mainstay of malaria treatment worldwide, was failing.

Modifies a noun

  • cargo: It was hoped that coal would be the mainstay cargo but this never materialized.
  • solution: Its offerings under claims intense competition mainstay business solutions.
  • business: Its offerings under claims intense competition mainstay business solutions.